Terrestrial orchids in an orchidarium

[maya]

HI! I am constructing the orchidarium for my cool growing orchids- mainly masdevallias and draculas.
MY idea is to build a natural looking orchidarium ,with tree branches ,lianas, etc ....something like you can see in the vivarium forums but without the animals
I would like to grow some terrestrial orchids at the bottom level... the light won`t be a problem, the air humidity will be between 70% and 90% (after spraying). The temperature will be 10-12 C during the night and 20-22C max day temperatures . Do you think any terrestrial orchids will grow under such conditions? My first thought was about Disa and some compact growing/small cypripediums ...?
I hope you can help me,because I don`t have any experience with terrestrial orchids

[Rogier]

Most Cypripedium (at least the ones available) need a cold winter. Many only grow well when they receive frost when dormant.

If you definately want to try some slipper orchids try Paphiopedilums. Especially the smaller ones like P. helenae make great orchidarium subjects.

Disa is also a bit tricky. They need a lot of light and fresh air. Far more light than your pleurothallids. So it will be either stretched never flowing Disa or you pleurothallids will be burned to a crisp.

There are some Disa's that grow more shadier like for example Disa sagittalis. You might give that a go.

But species that will be much easier are for example the Jewel orchids like Anoectochilus, Ludisia and Macodes and also Ponthieva is a genus with many species that do very well in a orchidarium.

And when you look a bit further there are other bits and pieces that might do well. Corybas pictus, Stenorynchos, Cyclopogon some smaller Habenaria, Liparis and Malaxis etc.

Generally seen, terrestrials like more airy conditions than that of an orchidarium. The fact that they do not live in a tree often means that the humidity in their natural habitat is (temporarily) to low to be an epiphyte.

The species mentioned above are the exeption to this rule.

Greetings

Rogier

[Rob-Rah]

Almost all terrestrials will require a dry dormant period, and that is going to be impossible in the terrarium with moisture-loving pleurothallids. Plenty of (eg.) Masdevallias also grow terrestrially in moss and spongy litter - I would stick to them....

If you can somehow manage light levels to suit them all, then perhaps some smaller phragmipedium plants would be about the best choice.

[Rogier]

What you can do is take the dormant plants that really need a dry resting period out of the orchidarium. Put them with some soil in a box and plant them back again when the growing season is there again.

But with the species I mentioned above you will not have to do that.

If you let (for example) the Corybas dry out to long you will kill it for sure.

Also I've seen terrestrial like Ponthieva and Malaxis groing within a few meters from Masdevallia and lepanthes in nature.

Same for Liparis, Calanthe, Habenaria and Cynorkis growing next to Bulbophyllums, Jumellea's and Angraecums.

But what Rob said about growing Masdevallia's on the ground is a pretty good idea as well.

So some do mix well.

Greetings

Rogier

[maya]

There will not be a problem with the light levels.The light will be organized on 2 levels- on the upper level will be for the draculas and masdevallias and on the ground level will be the light for the terrestrials.I cannot show photoss at the moment because I have problems with my computer.

Roger, do you think that Anoectochilus, Ludisia and Macodes, Ponthieva , Corybas pictus, Stenorynchos, Cyclopogon some smaller Habenaria, Liparis and Malaxis etc. will grow well under cool conditions? In my mind I always associate the jewel orchids with warm growing conditions....?

[Rogier]

O yes You are right. Some do like it a bit warmer. I think all macodes species definately don't like the cold. For Anoectochilus there are some cooler species. the commonly available A. formosanus does quite well in cooler conditions.
And Ludisia? Those are so tough. People that manage to kill those deserve a prize .

And then there are the Goodyera's Also Jewel orchids but some of those even can take frost. So before you choose a jewel orchid it's neccesary to look up how much cold that species can have.
In my rather cold greenhouse (5 degrees C in winter) I grow Goodyera macrantha and schlechtendaliana with succes.

But something else. You do know that it is extremely dificult to keep a terrarium cool do you?
Without an (expensife) cooling system it will be at least roomtemperature. This is often not cool but intermediate.
No problems there as most Masdy's and Drac's have no problems with temperatures around the 20 degrees celcius.

And with that temperature you can grow practically all the terrestrial I mentioned above. But the cooler you keep them the more carefull you must be with watering of course. Most terrestrial are very rot sensitive and Drac's and Masdy's like it wet.

The combination is dificult but certainly not impossible. Forget about automatic misting and watering systems though.

Grtz

Rogier

[maya]

Roger, I will have a special equipment in order to keep the temperature down - it gets very hot here in the summer.
So...it seems like mission imposible